FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT RETIREMENT HOME - PAGE 3

Living in a two-story house became a challenge for Susan and Paul Toback and their two sons, one of whom is physically and cognitively disabled. Their newer one-level house in Bannockburn makes life much easier. "It wasn't just the stairs, which didn't work for my son or for my back problems," Susan Toback said. "The new house means my son is safer and more independent. " Built in 2009 by Lake Bluff-based Orren Pickell Builders & Designers, the Tobacks' home incorporates basic principles of universal design, including simplicity and flexibility.

Mass for Rose M. Bauschen, 96, who was the longtime manager of Dressel Bakeries in Chicago, will be said at 4 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Our Lady of Angels retirement home, 1201 Wyoming Ave., Joliet. She died Thursday in the retirement home. The firm was owned by one of her brothers. She is survived by a daughter, Winifred Reis; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother; and a sister.

Margaret S. Herguth's career as a newspaper writer wasn't long, but she continued to write throughout her life, producing everything from short stories to freelance travel articles for newspapers to children's books. She was the wife of retired Sun-Times columnist Bob Herguth, and she counted as a friend nationally syndicated columnist Georgie Anne Geyer. "Marge was very unusual, being a woman journalist for our era, since we're about the same age," Geyer said. "She was very serious when she was working, and very efficient, but when we were having fun, nobody was more fun than Marge.

Erna Sperber, 67, executive director of The Mather retirement home, Evanston, died Thursday in her home. Mrs. Sperber, who was born in Germany and came to the United States after World War II, worked at the women's retirement home for more than 20 years. She also served as vice president of the Amfund Board for more than two decades. She is survived by a daughter, Doris Sperber; and two grandchildren. Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in The Mather Chapel, 1615 Hinman Ave., Evanston.

A memorial service for Rev. Karl E. Irvin, 96, former pastor of Lutheran churches in the Chicago area, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in Wilmette Lutheran Church, 7th Street and Greenleaf Avenue, in the suburb. Rev. Irvin died Friday in the retirement home at 2320 Pioneer Rd., Evanston. He had been a resident of the home since 1959 and had served as the chaplain there. Before retiring, he served churches in Chicago; Elmhurst; Polo, Ill.; and Beardstown, Ill. He joined Wilmette Lutheran Church after entering the retirement home.

In a tug of war over whether to raze a former Evanston hotel that has been a retirement home for more than half a century, preservationists are pitted against residents who say the elevators don't work, the water pipes burst and the bathrooms have no tubs. Plans are on the table to replace The Georgian, a seven-story building with an ornate terra cotta facade, with a modern retirement home. The organization that runs it says there isn't a good alternative because the building has so many problems.

Florence Wasserman, 93, a former Chicago elementary school teacher, died Friday in a retirement home in East Lansing, Mich. Mrs. Wasserman taught for 40 years, primarily at Emmet School on the West Side. She is survived by her son, Robert; a granddaughter; and three great-grandchildren. Services were held Tuesday.

Mass for Sister Casimir Jankowski, a former staff member at St. Sabina Catholic Elementary School, 7801 S. Throop St., will be said at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Dominican sisters motherhouse in Sinsinawa, Wis. Sister Casimir, who entered the religious order in 1934, died Sunday in a Dubuque, Ia., retirement home. Survivors include a sister and a brother.

The "careless use of smoking materials" is being blamed for the death of a 92-year-old woman Saturday in a fire that struck a Lisle retirement home. Dorothy Patterson was pronounced dead at 8:11 p.m. in Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where she was transported after police and firefighters found her unresponsive in her fifth-floor apartment in The Devonshire retirement home, 1700 Robin Lane. In a statement Monday, Lisle-Woodridge Fire District listed the fire's cause as "careless use of smoking materials."

Patia Carver Parker, 94, formerly of Glen Ellyn, died Saturday in Beacon Hill Retirement Community in Lombard. Survivors include three daughters, Patia Parker Findley, Betsy Parker Schweers and Mary H.; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Services were held in the retirement home.